Rant AND Rave - McDonalds

McDonalds-
Specifically the McDonalds Southern Style Chicken Sandwich, but first the RAVE.
I want to give McDonalds the RAVE for their sponsorship of the Olympic Basketball games. They sponsored the broadcast with limited interruption. Spectacular move! If you got to watch any of the games, I hope you got to watch the Gold Medal match with Spain. The American "Redeem Team" blew the Spaniards away in the first meeting and summarily destroyed most everyone else in their pool play. Then came the final match for the gold. The team that the Americans played early was not the team that showed up in the end. The Spaniards fought, clawed and scrapped their way into a close and thrilling game. Since the Olympic games to pause for commercials, I would have missed out on some incredible basketball. I'm not the greatest fan of the game itself, but this final was amazing. Since McDonalds provided a limited interrupted game, I was able to see some very exciting history made in China at these Olympics. And since McDonalds did such a fine thing, I felt obliged to return the favor and visit my local Mickey D's. I think I'll try the somewhat new Country Style Chicken Sandwich. On to the RANT...

Ick. If McDonalds hopes to compete with Chick-fil-A in the chicken business, they need to return to the drawing board or the chicken coop. I don't know what my sandwich was made of but I don't think it was chicken. While reasonably priced, my McDonalds chicken sandwich was made of pressed meat, like a McNugget sandwich if you will. Even the bun didn't compare to Chick-fil-A. The pickles were good but that's it. The Chick-fil-A sandwich is made of a chicken breast and it's apparent upon the first bite. Juicy, tasty and equally reasonably priced. In addition to taste, the Chick-fil-A packaging keeps the sandwich moist and hot. And the bun is tasty too. Over at The Compulsive Consumer website says, "The Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich is $2.75 and made from the chicken god himself. The amount of butter is usually just right and the chicken is especially juicy. The McDonald’s Southern Style Chicken Sandwich is a blatant rip-off..."
I agree. Thank you McDonalds for the great basketball games but for now, Chick-Fil-A gets my chicken money!

Rave - Rita's Ice

There is more to rave about Rita's Ice than the ice. The service is friendly and quick. No matter which location I visit, when the service window opens, I'm greeted by a friendly helpful face, well not just the face but the whole person behind the face too!

They are eager for me to try a flavor and tolerent of my indecision. It must be something that they're used to and train for. When I see the selections, I cannot make up my mind, so I taste away. My favorite flavor so far is the Key Lime. I usually mix it up with something else, but the Key Lime is my favorite so far. This stuff is addicting. It's very refreshing and so tasty!

So we've got great service, a tasty product and finally... affordable. A regular size (medium) is $1.99. Two bucks for a real nice treat. With the friendly service that they provide, I'd pay more. I guess they want me to keep coming back. I will!

Rebirth!! Life Begins Anew!!

Preseason Week 1:
Redskins 30, Colts 16

Sad to say, I have not experienced a religious awakening...
UNLESS YOU CALL FOOTBALL RELIGIOUS!!!!!

I raced home from work tonight to catch as much of the first football game of the year as I could. And it was my Redskins! I don't even care that I have to go back in tomorrow, on my only day off, to complete the work that I didn't finish so I could watch the game.

While making the drive home, I began to reflect what this first Redskins game really means to me. Pardon me while I wax retrospectively. My mom turned me on to redskin football in 1972. She let me stay up late on a Monday (school) night to watch the Skins play the Steelers on Monday Night Football. I had been hooked ever since. Unfortunately, most of my adult professions have prevented me from enjoying good ol' hands in the pants, sitting in the Laz-E-Boy sunday afternoon football. But I digress. My mom turned me onto the game and I remain an avid fan. When we couldn't watch together, we would call each other when there was a score or a tragedy. I remember getting home late in the day one day after hearing the news that Dan Snyder had contacted Joe Gibbs about returning to coach and that there was a good chance of it happening. When I called mom to tell her this (she loooooved Joe Gibbs) she whooped wildly and told me that it was already done, Gibbs was coming back! We whooped and hollered on the phone together for a good long bit.

She would call while I was at work and leave messages with updated scores. She hated the Cowboys too, oh how she hated the Cowboys. I remember how dark one Thanksgiving was one year because back up quarterback Clint Longley threw a Hail Mary pass in the final moments of a Redskin-Cowboy Turkey Day Classic that beat the beloved Skins. The turkey seemed dry that year and nothing really tasted good. Lesson learned, eat BEFORE the game, just in case we lose!

Well, mom, we've got a new coach and a new team this year. I don't expect much, but you instilled in me that loyalty goes beyond a losing season. When I watch the Skins this year (mostly recorded), I will think of you and know that you're sitting right next to me whooping it up just as much as I am.